A Critique of Nelson Goodman’s Concept of the New Riddle of Induction Essay

The development of the method of induction has been privy to the presentation and solution of riddles. At the initial level of its development, it has been privy to the old riddle of induction discovered by Hume. After the solution of the former riddle, however, a new riddle of induction was discovered by Nelson Goodman. In lieu of this, this paper opts to consider the development of the method of induction as a methodology defined by Hume and Goodman’s conception of the Inductive method. Induction refers to â€Å"a method of reasoning by which a general law or principle is inferred from observed particular instances† (Flew 171). The method of inductive inference may be considered as the primary means through which justifications are formulated to show the relationship of evidence towards particular assumptions (Godfrey 43). The process of induction, in this sense, may be seen to arise whenever we note that evidence lends support to a hypothesis while in the process failing to establish its deductive certainty. It was such a formulation of the method of induction that enabled the conception of the first riddle. What follows is a presentation of the main arguments of the aforementioned riddle as formulated by David Hume. Hume argued that since no necessary connections exists between empirical phenomena, it is always possible that a future observation will prove our inferences wrong no matter how appealing it may have been or how richly supported by past observations. This problem, in the more recent formulations of the problem has been referred to as the uniformity principle [in this sense the lack of such uniformity]. According to the argument, nature has no uniformity. If such is the case, it thereby follows that there is no voucher that which ensure the consistency of man’s most refined predictions. It might be argued that such an assumption has never been denied in the formulation of predictions however there has been agreement regarding the results of such an agreement [or lack thereof] within the province of induction. To some, it means that induction is never valid or justified, while to others, it means that induction simply calls for different standards of validity (Godfrey 63). The latter view strips the aforementioned riddle [Humean riddle] of its problematic context. This is evident if one considers that since the rules of deductive validity are inapplicable to induction, it cannot be a problem that inductive inference is unavoidably attended by the possibility that a future observation may prove it wrong (Goodman 4). The old riddle is then dismissed because it cannot possibly be the genuine problem of induction. Fact, Fiction, and Forecast present Goodman’s construal of what he refers to as the new riddle of induction. After refuting the old riddle of induction [the refutation of which is evident in the former paragraph], Goodman proceeds to outline what he takes to be the genuine problem of induction and its tentative solution. The problem of induction, he writes, is a problem of demonstrating the difference between valid and invalid predictions (Goodman 4). According to Goodman, a prediction is valid if it conforms to a valid rule of induction, and a rule is valid if it yields valid predictions. He acknowledges that such an assumption is characterized by circularity however; he notes that it is important to perceive such a conception of the problem in terms of the conceptions of justifications for arguments. Goodman notes that inductive predictions based on past regularities work better than those based on any other alternative. If such is the case, the rules for formulating predictions must be constructed in such a way that they will coincide with common practices of inductive reasoning. This, on the other hand, is further developed by the quality of predictions, which it produces. This is clearly explicated by Rubenstein as he notes, â€Å"the centerpiece of a valid inductive logic [according to Goodman] is its reliance on past regularities, and the prescriptive mandate of inductive validity is inseparable from a descriptive account of how inductive judgments are commonly made† (39). This has been the result of Goodman’s dissolution of the old riddle of induction. What follows this is Goodman’s explication that the most promising solution of the aforementioned riddle is untenable. It is through the introduction of such untenability that Goodman presents what he perceives to be the new riddle of induction. Goodman presents two hypotheses that are to be addressed through the use of the inductive method. One says that all emeralds are green and the other says that all emeralds are grue, where grue is said to apply to all things examined before t just in case they are green but to other things just in case they are blue (Goodman 10). Both hypotheses seem to be equally well supported by the evidence: all emeralds examined prior to t have been found to be green and grue. However, the two hypotheses are mutually exclusive. If emeralds are grue, they will be blue at t and thereafter, but if the alternative hypothesis is correct, they will be green. Thus, we are left with the paradox that Goodman christened the ‘new riddle of induction’. We cannot, after all, justify induction by appealing to past regularities. However, the reason, according to Goodman, is not the lack of the elusive uniformity principle, but the previously unrecognized ubiquity of regularities.   According to Goodman, regularities exist where one finds them. In relation to this Goodman states that one, however, finds them everywhere (Godfrey 53). If such is the case, it therefore follows that it is useless to base inductive validity on past regularities since it is not possible to predict and hence distinguish which regularities are valid and invalid. At this point, I would like to present a summary of the aforementioned discussion. In the aforementioned discussion, Goodman believes that the old riddle [the Humean riddle/the uniformity principle] has been dissolved and that induction is justified by past regularities. The only remaining difficulty he sees, however, lies in finding a rule for distinguishing between regularities that do and do not yield valid inductive predictions. As was noted in the above discussion, the possibility of such is not possible. This is evident if one considers that regularity necessitates the occurrence of acts of inductive inference. Therefore, the genuine problem of induction cannot be the distinction between the distinction of regularities that do or do not yield valid inductive predictions since the specification of such necessitates the formulation of inductive inferences. As I reckon, Goodman aforementioned conception fails to account for the process of induction. It is important to note that Goodman contends that induction begins with regularity. Rubenstein notes, â€Å"Induction does not begin with regularity – it ends with it† (44). The failure to consider this leads Goodman to misconstrue the problem of induction. It is important to note that experience of reality does not necessarily start with regularities but rather with individual observations. The role of induction, in this sense lies in providing us with justified methods that allows us to posit the observations that we will account for as regularities. Goodman, however, failed to account for this. In addition to this, it is important to note that such a failure can also be traced to Goodman’s assumptions regarding the process in which individuals formulate inferences. Goodman’s error is compounded when he makes a distinction between identifying regularity and projecting it. Once we have decided that our observations represent regularity, it is automatically projected in both temporal directions. This is, in fact, what we mean by applying the term regularity to our data. Furthermore, Stich and Nisbett contend that the â€Å"equilibrium with inductive practices† that Goodman posited, as a necessary aspect in formulating a valid inductive methodology is â€Å"neither necessary nor sufficient for a rule of inductive inference to be justified† (194). They argue that such an assumption fails to consider that â€Å"human subjects regularly and systematically make invalid inferences† and that there an instance wherein human reasoning enables an individual to â€Å"accept invalid rules and reject valid one’s that ought to govern the inference at hand† (Stitch and Nisbett 194).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In summary, the aforementioned paper presented Goodman’s arguments in relation to his conception of the new riddle in induction. Such a riddle, however, under scrutiny may be seen as based upon a mistaken assumption of the justification process of beliefs that necessitates the introduction of information garnered through the method of induction. This is evident, for example, if one considers the manner in which observations enable the formulation of regularities and not the other way around. An analysis of Goodman’s supposed riddle of induction thereby leaves the reader wondering if such a riddle may be considered as a valid concern for the adherents of the inductive methodology. Works Cited Flew, Anthony. A Dictionary of Philosophy.   London: Pan Books, 1983. Godfrey-Smith, Peter.   Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science.   Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Goodman, Nelson.   Fact, Fiction, and Forecast.   Massachussets: Harvard University Press, 1983. Rubenstein, Arthur.   â€Å"Induction, Grue Emeralds, and Lady Macbeth’s Fallacy.†Ã‚   The Philosophical Quarterly 48.190 (Jan. 1998): 37-49. Stitch, Stephen and Richard Nisbett.   â€Å"Justification and the Psychology of Human Reasoning.† Philosophy of Science 47.2 (Jun. 1980): 188-202.   

Perception, Sensation

â€Å"Perception is more than just a sensation† Introduction Sensation is the passive process of bringing information from the outside world into the body and brain. Perception is the active process of selecting, organising and interpreting the information brought to the brain by the senses. Sensation and perception are two distinct processes, which collaborate to help us make sense of our environment. Perception requires physiological mechanisms and psychological components, these combine to help us understand.Perception is the process of how we acquire and understand information, sophisticated perceptual mechanisms go to work in order for us to gain knowledge. Our perception of the world is â€Å"direct, immediate and effortless† (Mather, 2006). Understanding how perception works is extremely complex and people differ in how they perceive, humans are quick to perceive as Biederman (1990) showed people can recognise and interpret complex novel scenes in as little as 1/ 10th of a second.The differences between sensation and perception are based around the fact that sensation is a physiological process stemming from one of the five senses, sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. These senses enable us to detect stimuli in the environment. Perception on the other hand involves an understanding of this sensory information, drawing from the stimuli detected from the senses, our minds must process that information and create a mental representation of the senses. How our mind perceives this depends upon our background knowledge.For example if we smell sour milk, our nose picks up the smell which is the sensation, then perception plays its part by telling us that the milk has passed its used by date. Sensory organs absorb energy from physical stimuli in the environment which pass to sensory receptors these detect stimulus energies and convert them into mental impulses which are sent to the brain. Now perception begins, upon receiving the impulses the bra in organises the input and translates it into something meaningful. However perceptions are not always accurate.The picture below is called the Muller- Lynn illusion. People are asked which line is bigger and people immediately answer with the bottom line, when in fact they are even. This shows that perceptions can be deceived quite easily. What we ‘see’ is not the same as what is ‘there’. Perception and reality differ. Numerous illusions show that the human mind can misinterpret information and inaccurately perceive senses, these include the Poggendorf illusion and the Penrose staircase. Muller-Lynn Illusion. PerceptionPeople perceive through sight, which is one of the senses. The physical stimulus for visual perception is light. (Wavelength > colour and Intensity > brightness. ) Light interacts with objects. (e. g refraction, bending of light. ) This forms the basis of how we perceive visually. Colour is the most important component of our visual experien ce, some of the earliest theories of perception were developed from how we perceive colours. In order to explain colour perception one has to be familiar with, 1.Hue – variations in wavelength, difference between colours. 2. Brightness- the intensity of energy, black v white 3. Saturation – purity of colour, difference between pink and red (how much black/white added to the colour) The human can identify approximately 200 hues, 500 intensity steps and 20 saturations, combining to nearly two million colours. Does colour exist? People just assume that because we see colours, they actually exist in the world. Meaning, that when they see the colour red, that red is a real, physical, tangible, â€Å"thing†.But is it, or is colour just a matter of our perception? If we had different types of nervous systems, we would see things differently (literally) and so wouldn't we think those other things we saw were the real â€Å"things†? The Trichromatic theory Thomas Young, a 19th century English scientist suggested that it takes just three colours for us to see all the colours of the spectrum. He demonstrated this through experiments where he showed that people could match any colour by making a combination of just three colours (wavelengths) of light.Similar to a colour wheel explanation of vision taking just three colours and blending them to make any colour. Seventy years before we knew that humans have three retina cones- red, green and blue. Opponent-process theory Herring (1870) suggested cone photoreceptors are linked together to form three opposing colour pairs, red/green, blue/yellow, light/dark. The two stage theory was output of three cone types recoded by another layer of neutral mechanisms into 6 psychologically primary colours. (Hurvich & Jameson, 1957) Perceptual constanciesSize constancy means objects maintain the same size, despite changes in proximal stimulus, people that are further away do not seem smaller than people that a re close. This is exhibited in the Ponzo illusion. The Ponzo illusion. In the Ponzo illusion, two identically-sized lines appear to be different sizes when placed over parallel lines that seem to converge as they recede into the distance. How Does the Ponzo Illusion Work? The Ponzo illusion was first demonstrated in 1913 by an Italian psychologist named Mario Ponzo.The reason the top horizontal line looks longer is because we interpret the scene using linear perspective. Since the vertical parallel lines seem to grow closer as they move further away, we interpret the top line as being further off in the distance. An object in the distance would need to be longer in order for it to appear the same size as a near object, so the top â€Å"far† line is seen as being longer than the bottom â€Å"near† line, even though they are the same size. Depth perception Images projected to our retina are 2D but we interpret this as 3D dynamic scene.In order to perceive depth we use a number of visual cues both monocular and binocular. Gibson & Walk (1960) ‘visual cliff’ experiment suggests depth perception is not present at birth. ’Visual cliff’ Gestalt psychology Gestalt psychology was founded by German psychologists Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Kohler and Kurt Koffka and focused on how people interpret the world. The Gestalt perspective formed partially as a response to the structuralism of Wilhelm Wundt, who focused on breaking down mental events and experiences to the smallest elements. â€Å"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts† (Wertheimer, 1923).We perceive a visual array in a way that most simply organises the disparate elements into a coherent form. The Gestalt theory puts forward a number of laws. 1. Law of Pragnanz – things are perceived as simply as possible. 2. Law of proximity – Objects near each other will be seen as a unit. 3. Law of similarity – objects similar to each other will be se en as a unit. 4. Law of continuity – we perceive smoothly flowing or continuous forms rather than disrupted or discontinuous forms. 5. Law of closure – we create illusory contours to perceive incomplete objects.Perception has much to do with processing and we use two methods of processing these are, bottom up processing, and top down processing. Bottom up processing is also known as data driven perception. Sensory receptors register a physical stimulus which in turn sends the information to the brain, sensation starts the process but perception takes over and places the parts together when recognition occurs. This is the most basic form of processing. Top down processing is more concerned with higher level mental processes, such as memory and expectation.The information travels down from our brain to influence what we perceive, this is also known as hypotheses driven processing. This is an example of top down processing, this shows how context helps us recognise the le tters in the alphabet. Top down processing speeds up the analysis of the retinal image when familiar scenes and objects are encountered and can complete details missing in the optic array. Perception beyond vision Auditory perception plays a key role in perception, along with the chemical senses- taste and smell.Auditory perception comes from sound, the physical definition being pressure changes in the air or other medium. Sound waves vary in amplitude- loudness, frequency- pitch, timbre- quality of tone. Chemical senses help in our everyday lives by helping us to taste and smell stimuli. Humans are microsmatic meaning smell is not crucial for survival, we typically have ten million olfactory receptors in our noses whereas dogs have one billion which shows how dogs have such keen senses of smell. Taste and smell are seen as the gatekeepers of the body they can induce good or bad responses.Tastes and smells involve a different physiology than vision and sound, this is because the lat ter two are nerve ends tingling, however when chemical senses are induced the person actually inhales some molecules of the smell inducing substance. At any one time there are hundreds of odour molecules in the air, people have the capability to make sense and distinguish between them. This demonstrates perceptual organisation. We can identify approximately 100,000 odours but cannot label all accurately, this is due to our memory not sensitivity.Gender differences can affect ones ability in identifying odours as women are normally better. (Cain, 1982). Due to the fact that memory plays a part in this top down processing is used. Conclusion Sensation is the process by which our senses gather information and send it to the brain. Once the signal is received the brain processes it and allows us to make sense of it. A large amount of information is being sensed at any one time such as room temperature, brightness of the lights, someone talking, an engine sound, or the smell of aftershav e.With all this information coming into our senses, most of our world never gets noticed. We can’t notice radio waves, x-rays, or the microscopic parasites crawling on our skin. We don't sense all the odours around us or taste every individual spice in our gourmet dinner. We only sense those things we are able too since we don't have the sense of smell like a bloodhound or the sense of sight like a hawk, our thresholds are different from these animals and often even from each other.Perception has all the previous components working at the same time so that we can function and make sense of things. How we perceive things can depend upon many factors but without perception nothing would make sense. Sensation differs from perception, but the two go hand in hand to help us gain a greater understanding of the world around us. Perception forms such a large part in our day to day lives and many don’t grasp how important it is to us and how lost we would be without our percept ions.

Response to Ethan Watters article in the New York Times The Essay

Response to Ethan Watters article in the New York Times The Americanization of Mental Illness why does America make mental il - Essay Example Why America makes mental illness socially unacceptable or not is a long heated debate and is explained in detail. If we are able to globalize Big Mac burgers and Nike shoes, then it doesn’t seem very difficult to have same kind of illness influence around the world in other cultures. I do believe that if we can globalize clothing, restaurants, and products, then it’s not too far of a stretch that with the meshing of cultures we could also globalize our illnesses. This article explains anorexia and depression are forms of Western Illnesses and they are spreading around in various parts of the world where they were initially not described as common part of illness. The article explains us that it is because we see these medical disorders in other cultures, that is why we decide to treat them in the same way that they would b treated in Western world. However the article doesn’t seem to be concerned about the illnesses that were found in United States. This article further explains that helping those who are mentally disable is completely misleading as one shoe cannot fit everyone. According to United States, people who are suffering from mental disorders are being imposed with economic stress. This in turn acts as a negative impact on the most fruitful years of work. This not only affects the individual but its family and mainly the society bringing great economic loss. This is also one of the reasons why United States make mental illness socially unacceptable. Stigmatizers usually assume that an individual who is stigmatized will eventually engage in immoral behavior towards others. It further describes that patients with mental disorders place great pressure on the society and are a source of potential danger towards citizens living around and the society on a whole. This dangerousness of the mentally ill people usually occurs due to poor habits that were previously inculcated in them. Mentally ill people are not only a threat for themselve s but they also lack certain human qualities that a normal human being has. It is because, mental illness is not related to ones will or within one’s control but it is a biological foundation that will remain out of control of an individual. However, Professor Bennett Leventhal of the University of Illinois Medical Center argued that this perspective is at odds with the campaign’s intent, which was to â€Å" ‘†¦speak to the point that these are real diseases and if you don’t do something they can consume your child’ † (as cited in Kaufman, 2007). This mental illness aids in social exclusion and also impedes recovery. Mental illness is an experience that is extremely isolating. This isolation can further be worsened if it gets combined with other experiences of isolation and social stigma. People get socially isolated and enter its vicious cycle after they are diagnosed with their mental disorder. This diagnosis is also disturbing as it n ot heals an individual back to normal but it further deteriorates the situation and leads to greater isolation from society. This mental illness damages the society as whole because it proves difficulties in maintaining relationships, maintaining daily tasks and informal and formal networks. As we move further, there are laws that also highlights the low significance of mentally ill people in the society and the laws that are specially derived for such

Week 6 Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Week 6 Discussion - Assignment Example â€Å"A primary goal of any website or blog should be to provide its visitors with a pleasant and fulfilling experience† (Dailyblogstips). I believe that Wal-Mart should expand into any area of business that will increase its sales activity. The firm has grown so much internationally that it should be willing to provide personalized services such as ship to site services. Wal-Mart is a multinational corporation and the firm should be open to obtaining new clients in new markets by capitalizing on the brand value of the company. My general impression of Wal-Mart’s website is that the company is doing a good job of expanding its business using an e-commerce strategy. In 2010 ecommerce sales generated $152.1 billion in the United States (Plunkett Research). The company has to invest in developing its website to compete with other online retailers in the U.S. and abroad. As the biggest retailer in the world Wal-Mart has to capitalize on its brand value to generate more business from its online

Important place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Important place - Essay Example Are you interested in knowing more about this amazing place? I know you said yes, join me as we address the nitty-gritties of this wonderful place. Talking of location, my house is perfectly located in a highly and rocky ground. It stands tall besides neatly pruned cypress trees. Located at the northwest side of the homestead, my house distinguishes itself from the rest of the houses in the neighborhood. The rear door faces the south while the front towards the north. Wind movements that usually moves from the east towards the west cannot find its way into the house. In addition, a perimeter electric fence ensures that the house is fully protected against any invasion by malicious individuals. The neighborhood is very serene. Within the region, electricity is guaranteed. However, when there is no electricity there are automatic generators; this ensures that the house is continually lit. I love the location of my house, it just fits perfectly to be a dream house that I have admired over the years. The architectural design is out of this world. It is a two-storied mansion with three bedrooms, a table room, a meditation room, three washroom areas, and a kitchen. The clean finishing and the perfect match of the colors say it all. From outside, the green compound with cypress trees matches very well with shades of green painting in the exterior section of the house. On the inside, the house is sparkling white. The outside door is automated; a stranger cannot get access without a request. The kitchen and the bedrooms have a perfect wood finishing that gives the aesthetic appeal of the house. On the middle of the house is a wooden staircase; a neatly cut wooden trunk perfectly fits at the middle and connects the upper floor from the ground floor. The trunk gives the house a natural look, which makes it very appealing. The table room is one that will impress. The wooden ceiling and the perfectly tiled floor makes the house so

Social Services for Illegal Immigrants. Great Wall of America between Essay

Social Services for Illegal Immigrants. Great Wall of America between Mexico and the US - Essay Example Therefore, the debate around this issue is extremely heated. There are opposing views to this argument which includes those who staunchly believe that the illegal immigrants should not receive benefits. In words of Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), â€Å"by draining funds, creating unfair competition†¦and by imposing unwanted strains on the services designed to provide assistance to Americans, illegal immigration causes harm to American and legal residents† (Colton-Sonnenberg, p.5). However, the other argument holds the idea that these aliens contribute in some way. With regard to this debate, the paper attempts to discuss the idea whether illegal immigrants should receive benefits, such as food and healthcare in the United States of America. Keeping the fact that there are around 9.3 million undocumented immigrants on American soil and out of them 57% are from Mexico, it is imperative to discuss the economics of Mexican immigration. Advocates supporting the idea of illegal immigrants receiving benefits put forth the idea that immigrants contribute to the economy by filling the gap in labor markets where native U.S citizens would not work, since they prefer white-collar jobs. However, one does not realize the economics of this immigration. Since illegal immigrants do not pay a tax on their wages, they are the ‘free riders’ in the economy. They benefit from public goods, and public expenditure, such as education, roads, fire and police protection and healthcare services. Since illegal immigrants belong to the lower strata of the population, they tend to get more benefits from the welfare programs, which mean that they become a ‘fiscal burden’ on the taxes of an average American citizen (Colton-Sonnenberg, p.6). Different states in the United States have differing laws and views regarding this issue. However, it is imperative to stress on the idea that illegal immigration poses a â€Å"toll on the communityà ¢â‚¬ . According to Eugene A. Delgaudio from Virginia County, â€Å"giving away free services to people whose very presence is a felony is unfair to people who obey the law†¦.it’s an insult to native-born taxpayers and taxpayers who took the time and effort to come here legally†. Therefore, many people firmly believe that such illegal immigrants create a feeling of negativity in those individuals, who contribute their income for the budget through taxes, and find that their money is being spent on ‘free riders’ ("Should illegal aliens have access to social services†, n.p.). Additionally, Richard Jones from Ohio feels â€Å"These services were meant for American citizens†. Since the United States’ illegal immigration rate is so high, efforts have been made to decrease this rate, because the economics of immigration are, perhaps, too high. Many programs have centered on the labor market where the employers are required to inquire in to the status of the worker. There have been laws in certain states that aim at decreasing this immigration by forcing employers not to employ illegal immigrants knowingly. However, according to Ting from Temple University Beasley School of Law, this is not enough, and there should be a ‘

Juvenile Delinquency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Juvenile Delinquency - Essay Example Those who will walk in the company of wise will continually be wiser unlike those who seek the counsel of fools. It records that those who seek the latter counsels subsequently suffers from unnecessary harm and afflictions. However, the counsel of just friends only brings happiness, success and blessings to a young man’s life. The book instructs stern warnings against youths who befriend individuals with unjust lifestyles. It advices that youth should not seek heed of the enticements of sinners who persuasively desires to recruit them to immoral and unaccepted actions. Young men are advised to relate wisely with charming women. They should avoid of wicked women who may lead them to a regrettable life. Such women should not entice or control them. Parents should at all times appeal and remind their sons of the instructions of the book of proverbs. They should faithfully teach their children the just ways of God even to be faithful to it. That their sons will not ignore these proverbs counsels in their youths lifestyle. As their children approach their youth’s life, they become independent in their decisions. It’s therefore the Wright counsel that will help them make acceptable decisions and escape the wrath of sin. Parents should therefore instill these instructions to their teenagers at all times even if they tend to rebel. The father should strive to ensure that his son does not give into the control of erroneous mentality of a youthful age. He urges his son to follow the ways of God at all times and avoid the misery of falling in the hands of adulterous women and crime. The path of the son has to be straight as this will deliver him from perversity of evil and walking in darkness. A father should at all times speak of the future life to his son. He must not tell his son of the days of his youth but rather the coming days of his son’s youth. The son will be in a better position and the upright mind to decide correctly

Alignment of HRM with Business Strategies Term Paper

Alignment of HRM with Business Strategies - Term Paper Example This quality can only be developed when human resource manager is given an active role in the growth and development of an organization. Multinational companies are considered as a pioneer in developing the latest HR system which can benefit the organization. Marriot is one of the well-known restaurant chains working in the USA. They have developed there human resource management systems in such a way that employees are considered as one of the valuable assets of the organization. The contribution of human resource management is an important factor to achieve the desired results for the organization like Marriot. Aruba Marriot believes that employees should be well aware of the role which he or she has to play to the overall productivity of the organization. HR can only be considered as a business partner when the employees know about the strategic direction which has been set by the HR professionals and top management collectively. Aruba Marriot communicates its strategic directions by providing signals within the job description and job specifications. HR professionals at Aruba believe that potential employers can only contribute positively when he has clear direction about where the company is heading in the next five to ten years (Rosenbloom, 2007). The quality of the human resource management function can also be analyzed by looking at the level of positions which are often available within the organization. For example, if an organization keeps on creating new vacancies for its new departments and functions then it can be inferred that the organization is growing and the human resource department is attracting new talent towards their organization. However, if an organization keeps on introducing same vacancies after every five to six months then it can be inferred that organization is not able to retain talented employees or there is some issue with the culture prevailing within the organization. As far as the case of Aruba Marriot is concerned, the orga nization is growing and they are offering diverse positions within the organization so that they can meet the human resource requirement. Some key positions which are often offered at Aruba Marriot include front desk officer, vacation planner, door person, vacation planning coordinator etc. The organization is associated with hospitality services business; therefore the positions available often require extrovert persons to deal with the customers politely. Aruba Marriot is a company of good repute, therefore, the people working at this organization should be well aware of the standards which could be expected from them. The organization has associated itself with well-known health and safety standard union which ensures the quality services provided by Aruba Marriot. HR manuals of an organization also indicate the level of competency and essential skills required by the organization for the effective performance of task, duties and responsibilities (Ghemawat, 2003). There are many interesting job positions offered by Aruba Marriot. As far as my preferred choice is concerned I believe that the job of front desk officer suits the personality traits at which I am good. Extroversion is almost essential in the hospitality services, therefore, I have the right kind of skill to excel in the field of hospitality in general while the job of front desk officer in particular. This job also requires public relation skills, therefore, the contacts which I have developed during my education can also help in attracting potential clients for Aruba Marriot.  Ã‚  

David Jones Essay Example for Free

David Jones Essay David Jones has a skilled, experienced and expertise Board of directors which is accountable for caring the rights, interests and the management of David Jones. Chief Executive Officer and Managing director are responsible for setting strategy, planning and administration for the company on daily basis. Paul Zahra has been â€Å"Chief Executive Officer and Managing director† for David Jones since 18 June 2010. Mr Zahra has more than 30 years’ experience in the Australian retail industry. He has held senior management roles across the retail sector in the areas of buying, stores, visual merchandising, supply chain, store refurbishments, customer service and operations. Directors are from a mix of different backgrounds, knowledge, skills and experience in the areas of retailing, financial services, property management and development, marketing, human resources, information technology, finance and law. Board of Directors Committee Memberships Name Role Audit Remuneration and Nominations Peter Mason AM Chairman and Non-Executive Director Paul Zahra Chief Executive Officer Jane Harvey Non-Executive Director  John Harvey Non-Executive Director Chairman Philippa Stone Non-Executive Director Steven Vamos Non-Executive Director Chairman Leigh Clapham Non-Executive Director Executive Management Name Role Paul Zahra Chief Executive Officer Paula Bauchinger Group Executive – Human Resources Cate Daniels Group Executive – Operations Matthew Durbin Executive – Strategic Planning Antony Karp Group Executive – Retail Services Sacha Laing Group Executive – Marketing and Financial Services Donna Player Group Executive – Merchandise David Robinson Executive – Multi Channel Strategy and Integration Brad Soller Chief Financial Officer 2. Employees According to David Jones , to achieve the highest profits and improve customer satisfaction, the company need to create an effective working environment for their employees following these goals: Every employee is valued; Recognition and reward for their contribution and performance; provide opportunities for employees to achieve their full potential; Obligation to safety, health and welfare, environmental responsibilities; and Support for philanthropic causes that are important to both David Jones’ customers and employees. Therefore, David Jones’ commitment is to realising its vision of being the ‘best place for our people to work’. In FY2012, David Jones invested in a range of advantages to ensure employees feel valued and supported: David Jones Charity Leave Policy: Supporting the philanthropic causes that are important to its customers and team members. Employee Referral Program: To reward any team member whose referral results in the successful placement of an external candidate in a nominated vacancy. Employee Self Service: To help team members achieve their full potential, reduces administration and to meet David Jones’ objective of transitioning to an environmentally sustainable business model. Innovation Workshop: Encourage continued innovative thinking, 150 team members from across the business participated in an innovation workshop at the Company’s annual conference in August 2012. To invest in the future and build the management and leadership capability of line managers, David Jones has established training and development programs. David Jones Executive Leadership Program: is designed to address the development needs of the David Jones’ Executive Committee and Executive Leadership Team, and comprises five leadership modules including a 360-degree leadership survey. David Jones Future Leaders Program: is designed in-house to develop high potential people managers that have been identified as part of the Company’s annual succession planning process. Operations Online Compliance: is designed to ensures that frontline employees remain current in processes and policies that are important to their role, including workplace safety, food safety, customer service and the David Jones Code of Ethics and Conduct. Recognition and Reward: New Executive Incentive Framework New Enterprise Agreements New Frontline Incentive Program Excellence Awards Program David Jones does not tolerate harassment, discrimination or bullying in the workplace. Employees of David Jones can expect to be treated in a fair and professional manner. Unacceptable behaviours under the David Jones terms of employment: Harassment- Discrimination and Bullying. 3. Organisational Culture Diversity Management and the entire David Jones workforce are embraced of and attract diverse, talented and motivated people. David Jones’ diversity supports commitment to a culture that equally embraces: gender, age, culture, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and family responsibilities of our people. David Jones encourages and supports all of our employees to reach their full potential and irrespective of gender. David Jones’ corporate sponsorship of the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the operation of Rose Clinics, while a philanthropic initiative, also serves to demonstrate our commitment to raising health awareness among employees and customers alike. This is representative of our broader commitment to the promotion of women and issues that affect women Equity David Jones has a Share Trading Policy that complies with the requirements of ASX Listing Rule 12. This was lodged with the ASX in 2010 and is available in the Corporate Governance section of its website. Consistent with the legal prohibitions on insider trading, under the policy, all directors, officers, members of senior management, other employees and consultants are prohibited from dealing in David Jones securities while in possession of unpublished price sensitive information about David Jones. HSBC CUSTODY NOMINEES (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED is the biggest shareholders with 69,772,020 shares (13. 20%). The 20 largest ordinary shareholders hold 45.  17% of the ordinary shares of the Company. External environment I. General Environment 1. Political and Legal Carbon Pricing Scheme David Jones has a proven track record in reducing its carbon emissions and supports the government of the day in its attempts to move the economy towards a low-carbon future. David Jones conducted its own analysis in 2011 to determine the direct impact on its cost base and participated in roundtable discussions facilitated by the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) to review macro-environmental impacts of the scheme. Macro-environmental impacts ANRA advocated that the government release analysis outlining how households would be affected and compensated by the introduction of a carbon price. Subsequent to these discussions, additional information was released, addressing many of the unknown factors in relation to the scheme and confining any detrimental impact on consumer sentiment, which is a key driver of top-line growth for discretionary retailers. Direct financial impacts David Jones count on the Business Roundtable on Climate Change, established by the Federal government, to represent business interests in the development of the Clean Energy Future legislative package, including the carbon pricing scheme. Trading Hours David Jones follow retail industry’s opening hours Monday:9:30am 7:00pm Tuesday:9:30am 7:00pm Wednesday:9:30am 7:00pm Thursday:9:30am 9:00pm Friday:9:30am 9:00pm Saturday:9:00am 7:00pm Sunday:10:00am 7:00pm 2. Economical Low Inflation rate and high Australian dollar makes foreign imports become cheaper, leads to an increase in profit of David Jones. On the other hand, increase in the value of money also makes customers become interested in shopping online or buy goods overseas, makes customers rate of David Jones fall. Therefore, David Jones should adjust the price of goods for both profitable and consistent with the economic situation and the needs of customers. An increase in the unemployment rate reduces people’s income and also their shopping needs. 3. Social Cultural People are trying to keep a balance between their work and social-life. Besides spending a whole day at work, they are willing to spend more time go to department stores on the weekdays. Based on population data from around Australia, Gen Y has appeared as Australias largest demographic with 4. 67 million people. Generation X has also grown to 4. 6 million. And, the Baby Boomer demographic is shrinking; falling by 6,000 to just 4. 11 million people. Generation X and Y are tremendously internet savvy. The internet is the first place that they look when purchasing goods and services. There are more educated people so their knowledge about fashion and fashion demand has increased. They are willing to purchase clothes with good quality from well-known suppliers. 4. Technological New Point of Sale (POS) system: will improve customers’ service experience and reduce transaction times. This system has multi-functionality and will play a pivotal role in David Jones’ OCR Strategy. David Jones also has new Workforce Management and Traffic Analytics System. 5. Natural David Jones is committed to managing its own operations in an environmentally sustainable manner and will meet this commitment by: Investing in efficiency measures and driving behavioural change to reduce the impact that the business has on the environment; Embedding environmental sustainability into the corporate cultural of the organisation; Developing robust  management systems to ensure transparency and confidence in environmental reporting. David Jones’ environment strategy comprises four strategic objectives: Improve environmental outcomes, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting and conserving natural resources, and optimising water use. Motivate cultural change, by encouraging behavioural change and then by integrating sustainability into decision making at all levels of the organisation. Engage with employees, customers and shareholders, to ensure that interested stakeholders are able to access information about David Jones’ environmental impacts and initiatives, and ensure that the Company’s approach to sustainability reflects stakeholder expectations. Meet and, where viable, exceed the Company’s mandatory and voluntary reporting obligations. II. Specific environment 1. Customers People are willing to dress nicer, fussy and trendy. The way they dress is usually according to the fashion trend. They are influenced from the internet; all the fashion trends are spreading quickly. 2. Competitors : Myer Myer is Australias largest department store group, and a market leader in Australian retailing, operating about 65 stores that offer some of the top style and fashion lines in the country. Merchandise (some 2,400 brands) is sourced from suppliers worldwide and includes accessories; womens, mens, and childrens apparel; beauty and cosmetics; electrical goods; housewares; and toys. Myer runs stores in about 25 of the top 30 largest shopping centres in Australia, with New South Wales as its top market, followed by Victoria and Queensland. Besides Myer, Target, Kmart and other smaller retailers are also David Jones’ competitors. 3. Suppliers Suppliers are an integral part of David Jones’ â€Å"Home of Brands† strategy, which makes David Jones stand out from its competitors. David Jones is committed to improving and strengthening their relationship with each of their suppliers. David Jones also appreciates suppliers that have understood Australian customers and have adjusted their prices. 4. Regulations ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION David Jones takes a responsible approach in relation to the management of environmental matters. David Jones’ report has followed with the requirements of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (Cth) (NGER Act). No environmental breaches have been notified to the Company Entity by any government agency. David Jones is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of all employees, contractors, visitors and customers. David Jones continues to work towards achieving an incident-free and injury-free workplace. This commitment is supported by the â€Å"[emailprotected]† management system and the Company’s safety programs â€Å"[emailprotected] davidjones† management system imitates efforts of team members to put â€Å"SafetyFirst† in daily tasks and activities, by identifying and controlling hazards that have the potential to cause incidents and injuries. Safety Information Management system Incident, Hazard and Investigation: provides an on-line system to support the reporting of incidents and the completion of incident investigations, risk assessments and associated corrective actions; Case and Claims Management: focuses on the management of information related to workers compensation claim files, claim transactions and payments as well as Return to Work Plans for work related and non-work related injuries; Risk Management; Audit and Inspections; Training: focuses on core compliance training, safety accountabilities, hazard and risk management and injury management training.

Countermeasures to Automobile-Exhaust Pollution Essay Example for Free

Countermeasures to Automobile-Exhaust Pollution Essay The world motor vehicle population exceeds 1 billion units at the moment. These vehicles are used for transportation of people and products across various places around the world. As a result, they emit many pollutants. This is attributable to the action of their engines burning fuel to release energy, which is an inefficient process. Firstly, they release particulate matter consisting of both organic and inorganic substances into the atmosphere, through exhaust emissions. Secondly, they release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which have carcinogenic effects. Pollution from vehicles is a universally acknowledged problem. However, it varies depending on the nation and its population. For example, pollution from cars contributes to between 50 to 90 percent of the total in urban areas. This may not be the same for rural areas. However, motor vehicles still present a disadvantage to the environment and human life. It is, therefore, prudent to develop countermeasures to automobile-exhaust pollution. Most of the world’s vehicles are operated on conventional hydrocarbons such as diesel and gasoline. By switching to fuel that maintains less pollution, the environmental impact of vehicles can be minimized. An alternative fuel technology that has the potential to meet this challenge is fuel cells. In this technology, hydrogen has maintained the best promise as a candidate to replace petroleum-based fuels. This technology utilizes hydrogen gas to create electricity. This electrical energy is converted to mechanical energy through an electric motor, which makes the wheels of an automobile to rotate. In this process, the emissions developed are pure water, Carbon (IV) Oxide and various oxides of nitrogen. This emissions are attributable to difficulties in storage and commercial production. Despite the release of oxides of carbon and nitrogen into the air, hydrogen fuel cells have a smaller footprint on the environment, when compared to conventional gasoline engines. However, such inefficiencies can be eliminated through use of concrete, as researched by a study at the University of Eindhoven (Yirka npp). The easiest method for manufacturing hydrogen gas at the moment requires mining fossil fuels, which has an environmental impact in its own right. However, new production techniques such as bacteria and biomass waste are expected to become conventional in the coming years. This will reduce the environmental impact of fuel cells, since the technology will lower oxides released into the air (Katsuhiko 3371). A hydrogen fuel cell works by the introduction of hydrogen at the cathode and oxygen at the anode. In the process, water is released out. Anions and cations from the cell are harnessed at the respective terminals, and energy is released. Hydrogen has a high energy content of around 150MJ/Kg or 61,100 BTUs per pound. This exceeds gasoline and its 20,900 BTUs of energy per pound. High energy content implies that less fuel is required to maintain the same amount of power in engines, or to travel the same distances. Similarly, it has a higher efficiency when used in combustion engines. Advanced hybrid engines such as that of the Prius maintain an efficiency of about 40% (Potera 38). However, hydrogen has an efficiency of about 75% when used as the lone source of fuel. This efficiency means that greater distances can be covered with less consumption of energy. However, introduction of additional hydrogen fuel cell cars has been hampered by infrastructural issues. There are limited facilities that allow fuelling to conventional commuters within their localities (Katsuhiko 3369). There are many electric cars (EVs) on modern roads. Examples may be seen from Tesla’s roadster and the Nissan Leaf car. These vehicles release virtually no emissions to the environment, therefore are a solution to automobile-exhaust problems. This is attributable to their engines, which do not burn fossil fuels in order to release energy. Electric cars use sets of linked batteries as their primary source of energy. These energy sources comprise materials such as lithium, lead and nickel-metal hydrides. These batteries typically consist of thousands of cells such as the lithium-ion type. They store energy that has been harnessed from electrical outlets at home, or the recharging stations that are found in some major cities. In the example of the Model S, the vehicle is charged through a ‘high power wall charger’. This device is replenishes the batteries around twice as fast as conventional power outlet would manage. Electric batteries are used to operate everything in the vehicle. They are used to run a controller which serves to run an electric motor. This motor is what rotates the wheels in EVs. Through recent breakthroughs in manufacturing, EV batteries can be mass-produced. There are now lower costs of ownership and maintenance to the consumer, when compared to the past. Batteries have a very high energy density, when compared to fuel cells. As a result, they offer higher mileage than traditional fuels. The Tesla Model S provides a good example of mileage. It can manage about 300 miles of travel at a speed of 55 miles per hour, out of its lithium ion batteries. Even conventional lead-acid batteries allow a range of 80 miles. EVs are characterized by high torque and low speeds. They are, therefore, very useful for usage within cities, where many vehicles are located in smaller vicinities than rural areas. They will help in reducing urban pollution since they do not release exhaust into the environment. The production of EVs often has higher environmental pollution than conventional cars (Lave and Hendrickson et al. 993995). Improvements in production are needed for the solution of such issues. However, the usage of such vehicles is limited by infrastructural issues, just as the hydrogen fuel cells. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has highlighted that only 4,000 EVs are currently running on American roads. This contrasts to gasoline-based vehicles which are in the millions. New breakthroughs in charging and fuel range are required for such EVs to gain critical mass of commuters. The larger the distance a vehicle is driven, the more pollutants it releases to the environment. According to the EPA, over one third of smog emissions are attributable to vehicle use in urban areas. However, more people have taken to the roads since the 1970s. Similarly, they have driven for longer miles hence attenuated the pollution problem. This has only served to attenuate the problem at hand. People usually drive for many reasons. Firstly, it may be as a means for arriving at work. Secondly, they do it to access leisure areas such as parks. Thirdly, they drive to shopping centers to do their groceries. There are ways that people can drive fewer miles while accomplishing all these needs. Firstly, they can involve themselves in carpools. This refers to the sharing of cars on journeys, between different people, such that several people drive in one car simultaneously. This is useful in that lower miles are collectively driven, hence reduced environmental pollution from exhausts. Through carpooling, people can get to work or leisurely places without inconveniences such as fuel costs, long drives and pollution. Carpooling is possible through websites, apps and pickup points. Use of public transport vehicles also achieves the same effect. People should use buses and other public transport means, whenever possible. Secondly, people can reduce the environmental footprint of their cars by combining errands into a single trip. This is especially useful in the case of families that own multiple cars. Instead of sending different people to pick up items needed by the family, one vehicle may be used to collect all these items. Shopping often requires the use of vehicles, since the luggage may be overbearing. In that respect, pollution can be reduced through use of the efficient e-commerce platforms such as Amazon. Individuals are able to meet their shopping needs while reducing their environmental footprint. The use of trucks for shipping goods is also useful since it allows collectively leaner environmental emissions when compared to many cars operated by shoppers. The internet has allowed various individuals to work at home. Similarly, it has enabled people to telecommute. It would, therefore, be environmentally beneficial if people used these tools instead of driving to work on each applicable day. These measures also reduce congestion in traffic. There will be fewer vehicles on the road, thus fewer delays that accumulate into environmental pollution through release of exhausts. In the modern world, settlement has been defined by work and educational opportunities. For example, people try to live as close to work as is comfortably possible. This has been attributable to efforts in reducing travel times, as well as associated fuel costs. According to the United States Census Bureau (npp), over 10 million Americans travel an hour each way to work. This has provided a challenge to the country’s urban planners and engineers. There has been a trend in altering commuting patterns through development of areas that provide ‘walkable communities’. This concept implies areas that require less motorized movements in order to get around (Fullerton Gan 303). Through walkable communities, commuters would be able to reduce their environmental footprints as they get around. Residential, leisure, business and industries are developed in a common area such that people get to each point devoid of cars. Alongside reduction of pollution, the quality of life is also improved for people residing in such locations, since they are able to exercise. Through use of alternative fuels, environmental emissions can be reduced. However, arguably the best approach to reducing such wastes would be an alteration of driving habits. In that respect, an effective method for reducing both fuel consumption and environmental emission would be a reduction in vehicle idle time. When people sit in their cars while their engine runs, they release exhaust just as they were driving. This happens during conditions such as traffic among others. In that respect, it would be prudent if people learn to switch of their engines in such circumstances. Manufacturers should also implement the start-stop systems across a wider range of cars. This will allow engines to switch off, when the cars are stationary. By stepping on the gas pedal, vehicles are able to start their engines immediately. This reduces the annoyances associated by drivers to starting their engines again. Cars of the past featured inefficient engines. They released more particulate wastes into the environment, while consuming more fuel than contemporary variants. However, some of these cars are still in service today. Despite good maintenance, older vehicles become less efficient than their original state. . Drivers should be encouraged to drive newer vehicles. For example, modern cars such as the Prius offer nearly triple the efficiency of older cars, in terms of fuel consumption and environmental consumption. Newer cars also adhere to modern emission controls that are set by the EPA and other responsible bodies (Dennis-Parks 799). In the United States, public transportation policy has been left to local authorities in cities and towns. As a result, the country lacks a homogenized transportation system. Schedules for buses and trains have difficulties in being followed. These systems are also characterized by slow speeds of movement. This has created frustration among users, who view cars as efficient modes of transportation. Similarly, American culture has often painted a tainted picture on public transport systems. The car has been portrayed as a symbol of achievement. The converse has been applied for transport systems such as buses. The American Public Transport Association states that usage of public transportation results into savings of over 35 million metric tons of Carbon (IV) Oxide on an annual basis. By switching to public transport for the average American round trip of 20, miles daily, an individual is able to reduce their annual emissions by over 4,000 pounds (Fullerton Gan 303, 304). Going to work is one of the key reasons behind owning a car in the United States. In that respect, companies can make a significant contribution to the efforts against environmental pollution. Firstly, they can provide shuttle bus services to their employees. In that respect, they can purchase or hire buses that will pick up and drop off employees at designated points, on each work day. This will assist in reducing vehicle emissions due to ride sharing. This can be seen through Google, which operates shuttle services for its employees. Secondly, companies can post ride-share boards in their premises. This will allow employee who live close to each other to commute on a single vehicle, thus saving fuel and the environment. Some companies have also assisted employees through creation of car cooperatives. These are services that allow employees to rent cars from a set location. In return, the employees pay small fees for their use of the cars. Such systems are very useful for people working in inner city districts, who need cars only on a rare occasion. This encourages them to use public and shared transport, as opposed to personal vehicles. It is estimated that the global urban population will almost double by the mid-21st century. As a result, alternate means of transportation need to be crafted for the urban populations. The use of motorized vehicles will only result into further environmental pollution in such areas. Urban dwellers will consequently be exposed to poor health and effects such as smog. In that respect, local authorities need to establish policies that encourage non-motorized commuting. Bike sharing programs are similar to car cooperatives, only that they are not characterized by polluting effects (Fullerton Gan 301). Different cities have made attempts at bike sharing programs. However, they are not meant to eliminate the use of motorized transport completely. Public transport and cars is used for commuting to centralized locations, where bicycles can then be accessed for movement within urban areas. Errands that exist within a radius of one mile are practical by foot. Similarly, bikes are useful for errands within five miles, which characterizes the inner city. Various cities around the world have embraced such measures. For example, the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai have bike sharing programs that have operated very well. Cities may also embrace some measures, which may be rather draconian. For example, cars whose registration ends with odd numbers may be allowed access to roads on particular days of the week. This measure will allow a curtailment of excessive vehicles on roads. Similarly, it will encourage ride sharing programs. Cars have an impact on environmental pollution, especially in the urban context. In that respect, several measures can be observed, in the efforts of reducing exhaust emissions. New technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells and EVs will be useful in reducing emissions such as the oxides of carbon and nitrogen. However, of greater use is the adoption of efficient driving habits by commuters. Car manufacturers also have a role in the reduction of emissions. By rolling out start-stop technology to all cars, high environmental savings can be recorded. Driving to work is an important part of many American lives. Companies can assist in environmental efforts by providing their workers with ride sharing and shuttle facilities. Companies such as Google and Apple present a good example of how this can be implemented. Similarly, local authorities and urban planners have an important role in designing cities that will require little use of motorized vehicles. Through implementation of such measures, massive savings on environmental pollutants can be recorded. Works Cited Dennis-Parks, Reda M. Instructing the EPA How to Regulate Vehicle Emmissions. Ecology LQ, 30. (2003): 799. Print. Fullerton, Don and Li Gan. Cost-effective policies to reduce vehicle emissions. American Economic Review, 95. 2 (2005): 300304. Print. Hirose, Katsuhiko. Materials towards carbon-free, emission-free and oil-free mobility: hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles—now and in the future. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 368. 1923 (2010): 33653377. Print. Lave, Lester B, Chris T Hendrickson and Francis Clay Mcmichael. Environmental implications of electric cars.Science(Washington), 268. 5213 (1995): 993995. Print. Potera, Carol. Beyond batteries: portable hydrogen fuel cells. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115. 1 (2007): 38. Print. United States Census Bureau. Megacommuters: 600,000 in U. S. Travel 90 Minutes and 50 Miles to Work, and 10. 8 Million Travel an Hour Each Way, Census Bureau Reports American Community Survey (ACS) Newsroom U. S. Census Bureau. Census. gov, 2013. Web. 2 Dec 2013. . Yirka, Bob. Researchers find treating pavement with titanium oxide reduces air pollution. Phys. org, 2013. Web. 2 Dec 2013. .

Brief History Of HBL Commerce Essay

Brief History Of HBL Commerce Essay Stragtegic Human Resource Management helps an organization achieve productivity and effectiveness, by sharing the overall vision of the organization, sharing goals and objectives, and making sure that Human Resource is not just a department, but the whole organization speaks of HR as the core division, which means that organization is employee centered. Strategic HR changed a number of things in HBL. It updated the way plans were made, shifting to strategic plans, from a one-man show to bringing everybody on board, encouraging idea generation and sharing proposals, different departments sharing their plans of what to look for in the coming year and democratic decision making by appointing a Strategic Planning Division and appointing member from the Board of Directors that goes through each plan and then the CEO communicating the approved plan to the departmental heads. By this, the plan became not just an objective, but more of a bible. At HBL, after the privatization, a number of initiatives were taken, from right sizing and getting rid of lethargic employees, to introducing golden handshake schemes, from moving to performance management system to inducting young blood that brings in creative ideas. Concepts like employee engagement and job rotation became part of the policy, organization-wide rewards programs were introduced. An inevitable change in culture was also accomplished, it from the seniority based to performance based culture. Overall structure of the organization was also made flatter, removing additional levels and bureaucracy. INTRODUCTION TO HBL It is the prime Bank in country established in 1941 having a registered head office in Karachi. It was nationalized in 1974, but recently on 26th February 2004 it has been privatized by Government of Pakistan and is taken over by Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). They acquired 51 percent of shares of HBL. It is one of the largest Banks of Pakistan with 1439 branches, having total assets of Rs. 1,139,554,000, 5 million total number of customers helping in generating Rs 13 million profit currently. Brief History of HBL HBL established operations in Pakistan in 1947 and moved its head office to Karachi. Our first international branch was established in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1951 and Habib Bank Plaza was built in 1972 to commemorate the banks 25th Anniversary. With a domestic market share of over 40%, HBL was nationalized in 1974 and it continued to dominate the commercial banking sector with a major market share in inward foreign remittances (55%) and loans to small industries, traders and farmers. International operations were expanded to include the USA, Singapore, Oman, Belgium, Seychelles and Maldives and the Netherlands. On December 29, 2003 Pakistans Privatization Commission announced that the Government of Pakistan had formally granted the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) rights to 51% of the shareholding in HBL, against an investment of PKR 22.409 billion (USD 389 million). On February 26, 2004, management control was handed over to AKFED. The Board of Directors was reconstituted to have four AKFED nominees, including the Chairman and the President/CEO and three Government of Pakistan nominees. BUSINESS DIVISIONS AT HBL HBL has a wide array of customers, belonging to a wide range of business divisions, from individuals to corporate, from Islamic banking to commercial banking. They are divided into three main categories, as follows: Individual Customers Car, Home Loans Credit, Debit Cards Deposit Accounts BancAssurance Phone Banking FastTransfer Mutual Funds Salary Plus Business Customers Corporate Banking Commerical Banking SME Banking Global Treasury Investment Banking Cash Management Zarai Banking Asset Management Islamic Banking Deposit Accounts Financing Products Murabaha Diminishing Musharaka jarah Trade and Value added Services MISSION To make our customers prosper, our staff excel and create value for shareholders VISION Enabling people to advance with confidence and success VALUES Our values are the fundamental principles that define our culture and are brought to life in our attitudes and behavior. It is our values that make us unique and unmistakable. Our values are defined below: Excellence This is at the core of everything we do. The markets in which we operate are becoming increasingly competitive, giving our customers an abundance of choice. Only through being the very best in terms of the service we offer, our products and premises can we hope to be successful and grow. Integrity We are the leading bank in Pakistan and our success depends upon trust. Our customers and society in general expect us to possess and steadfastly adhere to high moral principles and professional standards. Customer Focus We understand fully the needs of our customers and adapt our products and services to meet these. We always strive to put the satisfaction of our customers first. Meritocracy We believe in giving opportunities and advantages to our employees on the basis of their ability. We believe in rewarding achievement and in providing first-class career opportunities for all. Progressiveness We believe in the advancement of society through the adoption of enlightened working practices, innovative new products and processes, and a spirit of enterprise. HUMAN RESOURCE AS A SOURCE OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Brief Introduction Human resource, being the pulse of any organization, is its most precious asset. And training plays a vital role in tapping and developing its potential to the utmost. With this key factor in mind, HBL pioneered its first training program in 1946, in which Muslim youth were recruited after an extensive tour of leading academic institutions. There are 78 employees in the HR department. According to Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources at HBL Worldwide, the practice is of having 100 to 1 ratio, i.e. to have one employee of HR department per 100 employees of other departments. In Pakistan, however due to low importance of HR as a strategic function, it is okay to have 1000 to 1 ratio instead. Importance Bank is a service industry, automation cannot be done. Every activity has to be managed by human beings, a particular department is therefore unavoidable. Trust and loyalty can only be ensured by human beings. Banking involves money, which is why ensuring trust is extremely important. Housing 13,000 people is not an easy job. HR department at HBL deals with the factors associated with human beings like counseling, behavior management, motivation and job satisfaction. Since the organization is heterogeneous, complex and large a proper HR department exists to manage the diverse needs of large internal customers. Catering to administrative and long term strategic needs of employees. Support functions are required in order to help employees work towards organizational goals. RECRUITMENT PROCESS Internal job posting: This is the most traditional method which most of the companies are following in which CVs are being collected from companys website and other sources and then after the filtration process desired individuals are called for the interview. HBL actually grooms and trained their employees in different departments and whenever there is a vacancy they always prefer their trained employees. This adds a lot to the current employees confidence and morale, which they have a better chance to be promoted and thus strive to achieve higher than expectations. Entry level hiring: fresh graduates for MTOS and non MTOS: MTO admission program is being conducted in 6-7 certified universities, students who have a GPA above certain level can apply. They are being passed through screening and interview processes and then HR team hire them. Non MTOs are selected from B grade universities are passed from a testing process which is being outsourced, then they are also passed through an interview process and are shortlisted. Mid career: CV is being selected from the database of bank which points out the basic skills required for the job. After this HR team selects candidates who can perform these required tasks very effectively. These candidates are preferred to already have a career of at least 8-10 years so that they can understand the job demands properly. Cross function hiring: Hiring from different departments is also preferred as one of the recruitment method at HBL. For example while hiring for retail banking they also look into corporate bankings department. Similarly hiring for HR department can be done from compliance and audit divisions. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT The banks Training Division has gained renown for its excellence and efficiency and was called upon to assist in training personnel for other upcoming baking institutions. With the passage of time this assistance became a testimonial of the banks valuable contribution towards establishing and developing of other commercial banks within the country where several trained Habibians went to work with senior, middle and junior levels. Word of its skills spread far wide which led to many international banks sending their personnel to HBL for training. Presently HBL manages full-fledged teaching facilities and support staff at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The training programs are conducted with the latest aids and equipment and involve extensive training to new recruits, and existing staff with specialized courses that cater to the different cadre of personnel on topics of Management, Marketing, Selling, Accounting and Finance, Banking Law and Practice and Internal Procedure. Speakers from other prestigious institutes are also invited to deliver lectures. Methods used: On the Job training Coaching/Mentoring Group Discussions Outdoor training Rewards and Recognition For them remuneration is the key element of employee engagement. Two elements of remuneration: Annual salary Performance-related benefit Performance is more than just achieving financial objectives. As a bank they pride themselves at their unique culture and values Every employee receive a values rating that reflect how employee live at their values and culture, which influence their performance related awards. . Those with the lowest value ratings would receive no annual performance related bonus, even if they achieve all their financial targets. The rating criterion is as follows A is a role model. B is an exemplary. C lived value with more time. D needs to learn values. These ratings denote your bonuses as well as pay increments. These ratings are purely awarded on the basis of performance and as mention earlier for that key performance indicators (KPI) plays a significant role. Along with these ratings they also give rewards for some particular achievement as recently they have arranged a 3 day holiday trip to Malaysia for their remote banking employees for performing significantly well. Outsourcing HBL manages its workforce by not hiring everybody. S. Ali Raza Zaidi, VP, Personnel Division said Now a days, there are companies that deal help in delivering services, which helps in keeping our workforce under control. Take credit card sales for example. These companies go for aggressive sales and telemarketing. There are not our employees, but bring us business and charge a fee for the service. In this way, HBL is also outsourcing some of the services, for which we dont need to actually employee people. However, if supervisor is needed, that must be a companys person. INNOVATION AND RISK TAKING AMONG EMPLOYEES: They motivate their employees to be courageous and bold enough to raise their voice against the system and for the system. There is a leadership board on internet to which every person is accessible and writes whatever he thinks should be done to improve the organizational effectiveness and then he is called to explain his idea in front of Board of Directors. This further elaborates the openness that is quite visible in the culture at HBL, where every employee is given confidence to speak what they feel is right and raise voice against anything that is bad, anonymity is of prime importance and HBL makes sure the whistle blowers remain behind the curtains. MOTIVATION AMONG EMPLOYEES: Motivating the employees is of primary importance to any organization. HBL follows below criteria: Compensate The salary and employee benefits your bank provides serve a major role in recruiting, retaining, and motivating staff. While salary and benefits are not the most important aspect of your jobs, they definitely contribute to recruiting, retaining, and motivating superior employees. The quest to compensate employees fairly is an ongoing challenge. If your bank pays employees too little, you may risk alienating and losing valuable employees. If you pay too much, you may be unwisely spending company resources. How much your bank can afford for employee salaries can determine the caliber of talent you attract to your organization. Performance Performance plays a significant role in motivating the employees. Performance of the employee can be judge by the employee himself. As in the beginning of the year targets are being set for the employees performance so by the end of the year employees themselves can see that what they have achieved and what more they can earn with their performance. Transition to Strategic HRM WHY SHRM? Strategic Human Resource Management practices enhance employee productivity and the ability of agencies to achieve their mission. Integrating the use of personnel practices into the strategic planning process enables an organization to better achieve its goals and objectives. With the advent of todays economy where services contribute to a major share of the GDP and the fact that the service sector is essentially people centric, it is vital that the people first approach be accepted by the organizations for sustainable business strategy. The practice of SHRM demands a proactive and hands on approach by the management as well as the HR department with regards to the entire scope of activities ranging from staffing and training and development to mentoring and pay and performance management. Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources Were not a small firm, were in fact one of the biggest banks of Pakistan, having experience that ranges to decades. With so much experience, the one thing which we learnt is that people are your most important, and irreplaceable asset. You want monetary gains, you cannot ignore the human resource of your firm. This is infeasible today, as it is in future. If youre to go ahead, and really fulfill the vision, you have to trust your people. Invite them on the same platform, listen to their problems, and encourage them to speak their heart out. This essentially means that you welcome them on the big table, show them the big picture, share your mission, and treat your people like your stakeholders. Only in this way, by treating people as your strategic element, you can get the competitive edge against competitors. STRATEGIC PLANNING AT HBL Planning process Strategic Planning Division is made up of Board of Directors which evaluates previous performances, current market trends and forecasts future potential on a yearly basis. BoD evaluates several proposals and modified goals. All the core departments of HBL are involved in the strategy formulation, the formation of following years strategy is a combination of inputs and proposals from departments like Marketing, Operations, IT, Finance and Human Resource. According to Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources at HBL The strategy is not just what the next year would be like, it is more like fulfilling the vision, which cannot be done without coordination of each department, responsibility and commitment of every employee of each division. The strategy is made when each department is on same page, one platform. This is what strategic planning means. The process, though extensive, only goes through with considerable consensus. The Strategic Planning Division votes on the proposals, and suggests recommendations if needed. After going through the extensive process of planning and strategizing, the plan takes the shape of a bible. Policy making is done by feedback process i.e. input, process, output and feedback. Input is provided by the BoD and top management, and then they are circulated in the organization. Employees work according to these policies and then their pros and cons are observed for the future policy making. Significance of strategic planning: Planning out the future of any business is the best way to guarantee success. It seems difficult in beginning, but as the time goes by, a strategy is what helps a business move in the right (planned) direction. At HBL, once approved strategic plans become bible for the whole organization, every department is given particular goals to meet; every department comes up with its own strategy on how to achieve those goals. SBUs are also encouraged to come up with their own business strategy, since each business division has better understanding on deciding the action plan to meet targets. According to Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources at HBL every division is allowed to come up with its own strategy to meet the set targets, top management is flexible in this regard. Types of Strategic Goals Strategic goals are monetary and non monetary. Monetary goals are highly centralized and cascaded down to businesses and interpret these goals to SBUs and non monetary goals are transferred to support functions and support functions interpret them. Performance management system reviews the performance of SBUs and support functions, if any discrepancy is found, departmental heads are taken to task. Monitoring Performance Management System Progress of implementation of strategic goals is continuously monitored, if any discrepancy is found between performance level and set goals, it affects performance appraisal process. If everything goes as planned, performance management eventually helps in the performance appraisal of employees. Performance Managements core objective is manage talent, motivation, commitment of the employees towards the organization and its vision. They have very strong evaluation process in which the evaluation is started right away from the 1st day of joining to the bank. Right from the first day the immediate supervisor of an employee has a meeting with him and they both discusses about the goals, objectives and what is being expected from him. They have key performance indicators through which the performance of each and every employee is being analyse. With the help of this key performance indicators and the discussion with the supervisor the employee had a clear idea and road map that what he has to do and what is expected from him. The goals are being set by the mutual understanding between the employee and his supervisor. This evaluation is being done on the semi annually basis. On the basis of this evaluation employees get their pay raise and ratings. The more rating points you earned the more pay increments you will get. Communication of Goals CEO communicates these goals to direct reporters i.e. departmental heads which are further communicated to functional heads who set their respective targets. For example: the functional head of retail banking sets their target to collect the deposits of Rs 25 million and now it is to be increased to 35 million by 2013. Retail banking allocates goals to its further 20 regions after a meeting with their respective heads. Regional heads might require more resources so HR department arranges for that as well (Example quoted by S. Ali Raza Zaidi, VP, Personnel Division, HBL). Policy Making and Risk Management Board Human Resource Committee (BHRC) includes chairman, president and one independent board member. These three members issue recommendations on HR Initiatives and policies. Similarly there are committees of compliance and risk which deals with the matters like compliance with government policies on employment, ethical issues, matters like sexual harassment and the like. STRATEGIC INITIATIVES Transformation from Public to Private In 2003, under the government of General Musharraf a commission called Pakistan Privatization Commission was formed, under the leadership of Shaukat Aziz HBL, along with many other companies, was privatized and 51% of its shares were sold to Aga Khan Fund for Economic and Development (AKFED). Right Sizing of Workforce: Earlier when HBL was a public organization its culture was lethargic, many people under burdened, all responsibilities were shared vaguely. When it went private one of the strategic decisions taken was of right sizing. From 31000 employees all over Pakistan, in 1997, the number was shrunk to around 10000 and it stands at 13000 as of 2012. The right sizing did not create an ethical issue because the nature of the organizational holding was changed. Workforce cut down to 13000, which increased the productivity level and motivation because the less-productive employees were laid off which increase individual work load but not so much as to over burden employees and helped organization cut down cost of additional employees that were not contributing enough. From Annual Confidential Report to Performance Management system. Initially HBL used to do the performance appraisal on annual basis and this process was called annual confidential report which was as the name suggests kept confidential to the top management only. After privatization bank moved towards performance management system which was by nature more transparent, open to input from various departments and was reviewed on a continuous basis to make sure that the performance of employees is in line with the strategies made at the top. Paradigm Shift to Growth-Oriented According to Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources While some organizations are strictly business oriented where the only thing that matters is money, on the other extreme there are people centric organizations which are primarily concerned with its workforce, HBL took a midway approach. The organization believes in welfare of its employees by channeling their efforts towards achieving monetary goals. Banks culture is such that its the people who bring in profits so it should be people who are benefits the most from the profit which cannot be done without organizational growth in the terms of greater market coverage. Organizational Transformation by introducing Golden Handshake Scheme When the organization realized that the current workforce could not come with many creative ideas and lacked physical efficiency and could not cope with changing market trends due to resistance to change, HBL introduced golden handshake scheme. Under this scheme 25/55 rule was established i.e. the employees with 25 years of experience within the bank and 55 years of age were offered 5 months cumulative salary and their services were recognized as an honor to HBL. Inducting Young Blood Previously discussed golden handshake scheme helped HBL to induct young blood. Since youth is more inclined towards updating themselves with latest techniques, open to change, have superior physical strength and more creative mind, this strategy helped increase efficiency in the organization. This young blood equipped with the creative mind and greater insights of recent market trends helped te bank to grow in the face of fierce competition. Tracking Employee Demand and Supply Management at HBL is alert on upcoming vacancies, and how to fill them up. Whenever an employee is about to leave, he must serve the one month notice period, the company first looks at the internal pool of candidates, those who are most eligible to be promoted. If there is no replacement available in the current employees, the bank goes the through the external recruitment process (mentioned above in recruitment process). Employee Engagement Job rotation and transfer is done every 3 years according to the policy. The assignment should be changed for this purpose. Nobody is allowed to work more than three years on the same position, he is either promoted or his job is changed, job rotation is a key policy at HBL. Job rotation program is also there for Management Trainee employees who are being rotated to different departments after every 6 months. HBL derives following benefits from their job rotation policy: Explore the Hidden Talent Job Rotation is designed to expose employees to a wider range of operations in order to assist managers in exploring their hidden talent. In the process, they are moved through a variety of assignments so that they can gain awareness about the actual working style of the organization and understand the problems that crop up at every stage. Individuals Explore Their Interests: Sometimes, employees are not aware of what would like to do until they have their hands on some specific job. If their job is rotated or they are exposed to different operations, they can identify what they are good at and what they enjoy doing. Identifies Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes: Job Rotation helps managers as well as individuals identify their KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes). It can be used in determining who needs to improve or upgrade his or skills in order to perform better. This helps in analyzing training and development needs of employees so that they can produce more output. Motivates Employees to Deal with New Challenges: When employees are exposed to different jobs or assigned new tasks, they try to give their best while effectively dealing with the challenges coming their way. Satisfaction and Decreases Attrition Rate: Exposing employees to different tasks and functions increase their satisfaction level. Job variation reduces the boredom of doing same task every day. Moreover, it decreases attrition rate of the organization. Align Competencies with Requirements: Alignment of competencies with requirements means directing the resources when and where they are required. It assesses the employees and places them at a place where their skills, competencies and caliber are used to the highest possible extent. Career counseling when needed Employees who are not able to perform or want to leave the organization voluntarily they were given incentives which were added in their benefits. In other cases where employees with good performance are planning to leave the organization then they are provided with proper career counseling by the HR manager himself and his reservations are also sorted out to maximum extent. Employee as family To motivate the employees non monetary benefits are also there which includes gatherings, trips to foreign countries, picnics, visits, lunches and formal dinners. This helps the employees feel like part of the family, rather than just workers. This is essential in terms of relationship building, and increasing communication between the top management and other employees. CORPORATE STRATEGY According to Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources HBL follows the strategy of diversification, since it deals with different customers, in different markets. We have a different group of customers for Islamic Banking, different for Corporate Banking. We aggressively look for new divisions that have a high potential of growth. For example, we were the pioneers of Zarai Banking, which made our portfolio diverse. HBL is suppose to be a heterogeneous, complex and large organization therefore there are multiple strategies used. Centralized approach is used for financial dealings is used. Top management is flexible in this regard that every function can devise its own business strategy. Core Divisions at HBL HBLs pioneer division is Agri financing. They are market leaders and other banks are following HBL. The division deals in providing farmers with necessary financing. Second core division at HBL is Retail Banking. CULTURE AT HBL Seniority based culture to performance based culture When the bank was Public limited, the culture was more inclined towards promotion comes with age and loyalty. The transition to Private limited company ensured that the culture be changed performance based. The seniority now holds less weight as compared to actual performance, when it comes to performance appraisal. Employee Work hours and Overtime issue HBL has a very strict policy against overtime. Overtime is not appreciated much. Timings are followed strictly. Every employee is supposed to leave the office at 5.30 PM, the usual off time of the organization. If an employee is sitting late and working, he is obliged to answer as to what took him to register overtime. The culture is such that when more than 95% employees leave on time, including the top management, employees are generally demotivated to stay late as well. Responsiveness Customer responsiveness delivers an excellent customer experience. As a global research reported, 81 percent of banks with strong capabilities and competencies for delivering customer experience excellence are outperforming their competition. An effective customer response strategy enables a bank to deliver the highest standards of customer care at a time when the customer most needs it. That level of care makes an important contribution to customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty. Head of resourcing instead of head of recruitment. Outsourcing worker services, ANALYSIS OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The purpose of an organizational structure is to help in creating an environment for human performance. It is then, a management tool and not an end in its own. Although the structure must define the task to be done, the rules so established must also be designed in the light of abilities and motivation of the human recourse available. By analyzing the organizational structure of HBL presence of the following elements can be found in its structure. Transition towards flatter organization Another change in the private limited company was the removal of additional levels in the organizational hierarchy, this helped in reducing the communication gap between employees and management, and among

Analysis of A Rose For Emily by William Faulkner Essay -- A Rose for E

Analysis of A Rose For Emily â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, by William Faulkner, begins and ends with the death of Miss Emily Grierson, the main character of the story. In the story William Faulkner uses characterization to reveal the character of Miss Emily. Faulkner divided the story â€Å"into five sections, the first and last section having to do with the present, and the now of the narration, with the three middle sections detailing the past† (Davis 35). Faulkner expresses the content of Miss Emily’s character through physical description, through her actions, words, and feelings, through the narrator’s direct comments about her, and through the actions, words, and feelings of other characters. Faulkner best uses characterization to examine the theme of the story, we are the products of our environment. Miss Emily lives for many years as a recluse, as a result of her surroundings. In the story the narrator comments that â€Å"no one save an old man-servant–a combined gardener and cook–had seen [the house] in at least ten years† (Faulkner 217). Miss Emily’s father is partly to blame for her life as a recluse. Faulkner’s narrator says that, â€Å"We remembered all the young men her father had driven away† (221). Critic Donald Akers notes that: In the story, Emily’s overprotective, overbearing father denies her a normal relationship with the opposite sex by chasing away any potential mates. Because her father is the only man with whom she has had a close relationship, she denies his death and keeps his corpse in her house until she breaks down three days later when the doctors insist she let them take the body. (2) Her father robs her from many of life’s necessities. She misses out on having friends, being a normal woman, and her... ...iversity, Prairie View, TX 8 Nov. 2000 . Akers, Donald. â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† Short Stories for Students. New York: Gale, 1999. 4pp Literature Resource Center. Harris County Public Library, Houston, TX 21 Nov. 2000 . Birk, John F. â€Å"Tryst beyond Time: Faulkner’s ‘Emily’ and Keats.† Studies in Short Fiction 28.2 (1991): 103-13. Burduck, Michael L. â€Å"Another View of Faulkner’s Narrator in ‘A Rose for Emily’.† The University of Mississippi Studies in English 9 (1990): 209-211. Crosman, Robert. â€Å"How Readers Make Meaning.† College Literature 9.3 (1982): 207-215. Davis, William V. â€Å"Another Flower for Faulkner’s Bouquet: Theme and Structure in ‘A Rose for Emily’.† Notes on Mississippi Writer 7.2 (1974): 34-38. Faulkner, William. â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† The Best Short Stories of the Modern Age. Ed Douglas Angus. New York: Fawcett World Library, 1968. 217-226.